Five Ways of Qualitative Research Methods

Qualitative methods of study are the one that is very useful and renowned very much, nearly every one prefers using this method for their research work. Qualitative research methods are actually categorized into the five most valuable and useful methods; the ethnography method, the narrative method, the phenomenological method, the grounded theory method, and the case study method. Here in this blog we are discussing these five different types of qualitative research methods. But before we start discussing these individual types it is very much necessary to tell our readers that data collection ways in all these five of them are almost the same and these are observation methods, interviews ways and others.

Ethnography method

Ethnography is the most renowned and the most followed way of ethnographic research and it is found very much common among the students. It is the most used form of qualitative research method. What is ethnographic method? It is basically about mixing yourself with in a specific group or society or target people in order to know more about the type of life they have. With type of life we mean the type of living that specific group of people have means the challenges, advantages, the most common trait, their language, culture, traditions, history, food, life goals, and much more.

This type of research method is most commonly used by the people who are very much involved in the study of culture or somewhat related with anthropology department as this subject’s second biggest sub-division cultural anthropology has very much the requirement of this type of study or research method. The researcher basically observes the environment pretty much and the collect the data according to his research needs.

Narrative method

It’s somehow a method of creating a story from the provided data of one or two three individuals. In this researcher basically collect life stories by conducting interviews. The method of collecting data in this is the detailed interviews, life histories and others. Research ethics applies in this from way more than too much than other types.

Researcher has to be very much careful too in order to not hurt the feelings of the person who is giving the interview. Then all the publications must be with the granted permission. Sometimes these types of stories actually influence others. Data collection method isn’t just for the day or two it’s a week or sometimes month long process.

Phenomenological method

Phenomenological studies and this type of qualitative method are the very appropriate and suggested method in case researcher wants to describe the event, any situation, a plan, any process or any other thing. The data can be collected through videos, written documents, in-depth interviews, observing a target place and by other means. To know the real motivation and meaning behind any activity or any other thing you have to trust the word of the target interviewed person. There aren’t any pre-hand observations in the start in this type of method as compare to other research methods.

Grounded Theory method

Grounded theory in a sense related to the phenomenological studies. In phenomenological studies researcher describes the meaning or adds colors to any activity reason but in grounded theory researcher actually provides the theory and logic behind any event, so kind of these two qualitative research methods are connected with each other. Grounded theory aims to provide the detailed explanation behind the happening of any activity or research.

Case study method

Case study is also very useful even for those who take the routes of quantitative research method. Case studies explain, case study explores and case study can also be very helpful in describing an event. It involves the collection of multiple data form.